March 03, 2006
what just happened!?
You cannot be serious.
No - really - did that actually just happen?
Now I could almost understand losing by a few points to a desperate DePaul team playing their final home game and looking to redeem their entire season with another big upset (they also beat Seton Hall - probably a key indicator that SU was in for a surprise though it seems almost no one picked up on it...especially the Orange). A small loss on the road? Understandable, I suppose, though still quite upsetting and still an indisputable reason to kick the Cuse down to the NIT... THIRTY NINE POINTS!!!? Not within fifty miles of excusable, let alone bearable.
Like I said last time, Syracuse is going to score about 70 points per game, no matter where the points come from - the only thing that's going to produce wins is some solid defense. When a team like DePaul, who was averaging 4.9 three pointers per game at 29.9% before last night, is allowed to hit 57% of 28 treys in one game it is not only because they have the Jason McElwain hot hand - it's because the opposing defense isn't doing its job. I don't care if the Cuse played Faith Heritage last night - they would have lost to any team with the pitiful effort they put forth on the defensive side of the ball. If they had played a good shooting team like West Virginia or Villanova last night, forget 39 - the Cuse would've lost by 50. At least.
It's been said several times by several people throughout the course of the entire season: In order to make it to the NCAA's in this league, you cannot afford to lose to the teams in the bottom half of the standings. Up until last night, Syracuse had been doing a good job of winning the games in which they were the clear favorite, and I would have said they were a lock for the tournament, despite the record against the Top 50. However, after last night this team now finds themselves in a deep hole, scratching for a handhold they can use to climb out and get back into the Tournament.
Let's hope last night was just an extremely poorly-timed aberration. Hopefully the Orange won't bring the same effort into Gerry's last home game - if they do, it won't matter if the senior scores 50, because the Wildcats will easily run the Cuse right out of their own building. Syracuse has to come home prepared to win and they have to play their best game of the year in order to pull it off. It definitely is in the realm of possibility, but after watching these Orange yesterday I'm beginning to think they'll need the entire record-breaking crowd on the court with them to do it.
Much like the Blue Demons of DePaul, these Syracuse Orange have found themselves in a desperate position against a heavily favored opponent on Senior Night. Perhaps, if we're lucky, the same outcome could result from a similar situation. Maybe Villanova will forget to guard Mr. McNamara and allow him and his buddies to drop 16 threes in the Dome. Maybe Allen Ray and Randy Foye will forget to jump into passing lanes, giving Gerry and Josh a chance at double-digit assists. Maybe, if 35,000 people can will it to happen, the Cuse can redeem their entire season with one big win when they need it most.
.....well, maybe not.
No - really - did that actually just happen?
Now I could almost understand losing by a few points to a desperate DePaul team playing their final home game and looking to redeem their entire season with another big upset (they also beat Seton Hall - probably a key indicator that SU was in for a surprise though it seems almost no one picked up on it...especially the Orange). A small loss on the road? Understandable, I suppose, though still quite upsetting and still an indisputable reason to kick the Cuse down to the NIT... THIRTY NINE POINTS!!!? Not within fifty miles of excusable, let alone bearable.
Like I said last time, Syracuse is going to score about 70 points per game, no matter where the points come from - the only thing that's going to produce wins is some solid defense. When a team like DePaul, who was averaging 4.9 three pointers per game at 29.9% before last night, is allowed to hit 57% of 28 treys in one game it is not only because they have the Jason McElwain hot hand - it's because the opposing defense isn't doing its job. I don't care if the Cuse played Faith Heritage last night - they would have lost to any team with the pitiful effort they put forth on the defensive side of the ball. If they had played a good shooting team like West Virginia or Villanova last night, forget 39 - the Cuse would've lost by 50. At least.
It's been said several times by several people throughout the course of the entire season: In order to make it to the NCAA's in this league, you cannot afford to lose to the teams in the bottom half of the standings. Up until last night, Syracuse had been doing a good job of winning the games in which they were the clear favorite, and I would have said they were a lock for the tournament, despite the record against the Top 50. However, after last night this team now finds themselves in a deep hole, scratching for a handhold they can use to climb out and get back into the Tournament.
Let's hope last night was just an extremely poorly-timed aberration. Hopefully the Orange won't bring the same effort into Gerry's last home game - if they do, it won't matter if the senior scores 50, because the Wildcats will easily run the Cuse right out of their own building. Syracuse has to come home prepared to win and they have to play their best game of the year in order to pull it off. It definitely is in the realm of possibility, but after watching these Orange yesterday I'm beginning to think they'll need the entire record-breaking crowd on the court with them to do it.
Much like the Blue Demons of DePaul, these Syracuse Orange have found themselves in a desperate position against a heavily favored opponent on Senior Night. Perhaps, if we're lucky, the same outcome could result from a similar situation. Maybe Villanova will forget to guard Mr. McNamara and allow him and his buddies to drop 16 threes in the Dome. Maybe Allen Ray and Randy Foye will forget to jump into passing lanes, giving Gerry and Josh a chance at double-digit assists. Maybe, if 35,000 people can will it to happen, the Cuse can redeem their entire season with one big win when they need it most.
.....well, maybe not.
